The multiple Group 1-winning rider is booked for four rides at the Parks meeting after 129 days on the sidelines.

Lindop’s injuries were the result of a fall from Gamblin’ Guru at Morphettville on March 10.

But the star rider, who spent several days in intensive care, said not once did she think her injuries would end her career. In fact, she couldn’t wait to return to riding.

“It’s been the most difficult injury I’ve had,’’ Lindop said.

“A lot of people asked me if it was career threatening, but it wasn’t.”

“It was the longest I hadn’t ridden a horse since I was 10.’’

Lindop started riding track work in June and has slowly increased her workload ahead of her return tomorrow. She was initially reported to have suffered five broken ribs, which escalated to eight before the final count came to 15.

Clare Lindop with an x-ray of her chest, showing the injuries she received after she fell at the Adelaide Cup. Picture: Calum RobertsonSource:News Corp Australia

“I talked it down, naively thinking I would bounce through this really quickly,’’ Lindop said.

“They told me I’d be three months and I thought I’m clearly a fast healer, I don’t smoke, I do the right thing.

“I exercise, I go to my gym, I’ve got a good physio and a great chiro, I’ll do the right thing and be back straight away.

But the magnitude and delicate nature of her injuries quickly became a reality.

“Because they’re small bones, you think they won’t take long to heel,” she said.

“Because you’re breathing constantly, they don’t really mesh in the first four weeks. They have to work double as hard to knit.

“You think they’ll all heel together, but it takes that bit longer because there is so many of them.’’

Despite her initial plan of defying doctors and bouncing back quicker than predicted, Lindop said it wasn’t until after 10 weeks on the sidelines that she was able to return to light duties.

“I should be able to ride 10 (horses) on a Tuesday morning,’’ she said. “I rode five after just one week back.

South Australia’s most recognisable jockey will have her first ride aboard the Ken Knowles-trained Jetmaker before partnering debutant Exalted Honey later in the day.

She will also ride Visual Impact for veteran trainer Ken Sweeney and speedy mare Tigara’s Gem who finished runner-up at Murray Bridge last time out.

The dual premiership winner was riding in great form before her fall and currently still remains in fifth position on the Metropolitan Riding Premiership despite having been sidelined for more than a third of the racing season.

“It’s so competitive at the moment,’’ Lindop added. “When you are out (injured), it feels like forever. I’ll have to come back and prove my form.’’

Doctor compares race-fall injuries to car crash

FORMER Adelaide Crows star, now leading orthopedic surgeon, Matthew Liptak says jockey Clare Lindop is one of the most courageous athletes he’s seen.

Liptak, the Crows 1996 club champion, treated Lindop for a shoulder dislocation suffered about three weeks before she received a career-threatening fall at Morphettville on Adelaide Cup Day in March. In that fall she suffered 15 broken ribs and a broken collar bone.

Liptak, who continued treating her for her shoulder problem saw first hand the leading SA jockey’s determination.

“Those injuries are probably more akin to a pedestrian being hit by a car,’’ Liptak said.

“From my point of view, she is one of the gutsiest sports persons I’ve ever met.

“To me she is an inspiration for other athletes in terms of her will to get back to her sport, which is also her profession, and her dedication to her rehabilitation.

“Her tenacity to fight back from an injury where she was in intensive care for a number of days is very inspirational.”

Liptak has treated a number of elite athletes in his profession. Hesays Lindop never contemplated the idea of retiring from riding. She returns to competitive racing at Morphettville on Wednesday.